First install - linking existing domain to my FreedomBox, Almost there

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Using GnuDIP to link an existing domain name to the Freedombox

with no static public IP. Works but no access the FreedomBox from my local network

I tried to document the installation below. My last issue is I can only access my FreedomBox interface from outside of my local network (at least with another IP address: VPN or Tor). Any help on this?

Foreword: I have basic skills and little knowledge of the FreedomBox. I got help from third parties.

I installed the FreedomBox (FB) to a Rasperry Pi 4 and wanted to host a Wordpress (WP), hosted on another domain name, name.eu, on my FB. The DNS zone of my former domain name was managed from Cloudflare.

I was told to ask my ISP (Vodafone) for a “static public address”. The people on the other end obviously had just as much knowledge as me, though they promised I would get a ‘public static IPv4 address’ for free, on top of my default ipv6 dynamic address.

24 h later, on my Vodafone router interface. I found a default IPv4 address (instead of the ipv6 I had before). Vodafone wrote me in a mail that I had actually received a new public dynamic (so not static…).

I configured my FreedomBox in System / Configure
using name.fbx.one as domain name

The options “Port Forwarding” and “DynDNS” appeared with my new ipv4 on my Vodafone router interface. I filled the port forwarding options as follow:

Service name: FreedomBox HTTP
Lan IP: FreedomBox IP
Protocol: TCP
Type: Port
Wan port: 80
Lan port: 80

and

Service name: FreedomBox HTTPS
Lan IP: FreedomBox IP
Protocol: TCP
Type: Port
Wan port: 80
Lan port: 80

Then I went to the FreedomBox, and chose ‘DynDNS’ option in ‘System’, and created with GnuDIP a domain name, name.fbx.one.

So, my Freedombox was now tracking my ipv4 address through ddns.freedombox.org and GnuDIP

Then in Cloudflare, I linked my former domain name name.eu to name.fbx.one (via CNAME, a way to alias another domain).

The domain name name.fbx.one went online. And seemed to be linked to name.eu in its DNS zone on Cloudflare .

From there I installed WorPress, and then migrated my website from the previous server.

The FreedomBox is now working, UNLESS: I can somehow only access my FB from outside my local network (through Tor or a vpn). No clue why…
Thanks in advance
n2h

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Hi @n2h, accessing a resource on the local network from within said network, but using the external interface is called “hairpin NAT” and it has to be explicitly set up.

If you manage your own DNS at the gateway or run a PiHole or something, it’s fairly simple to set up a rule that resolves your website to the local IP (it never goes out to the WAN). If that isn’t an option, you can do it per-device in /etc/hosts–but bear in mind if it is a device that leaves the network you will have to comment out the line every time you are on an external network.

This thread might be a good place to start:

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thanks for taking time to answer.

After restarting both the FreedomBox and the router everything is now functioning smoothly. Surprising as I had restarted both devices already a couple of times.

I ll keep your advice and documentation if I encounter the problem again.

It wasnt an easy set-up, but happy to have my first home server. Thank you FreedomBox <3

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